In the latest twist in the saga of National Unity Platiform (NUP) prisoners, Hon. Balaam Barugahara, the State Minister for Youths and Children Affairs, has shed light on the controversial guilty plea by NUP supporters after spending four years on remand on different charges. For many, this marks a significant milestone in Minister Balaam’s journey, as he had promised upon assuming office to ensure these youths regained their freedom. But while some see it as a win for justice, not everyone is singing the same tune.
The NUP leadership and is up in arms, with the Party president, Hon.Robert Kyagulanyi claiming that the youth never committed any crime in the first place. According to them, the government has failed to produce solid evidence to have them prosecuted, making the guilty plea seem more like a forced surrender than a confession of wrongdoing.
Minister Balaam hit back at critics, accusing the NUP of using the youth as political pawns. “The president cannot pardon anyone unless they’ve been sentenced,” he said. “The option available was for the youth to cooperate, speeding up the legal process. But NUP had other interests as they were busy asking donors for legal fees. If you’re earning from legal battles, why would you want them to end?”
With his characteristic bluntness, the Minister urged young people to embrace a more mature and respectful brand of politics. “We should stop using young people as betting tools,” he quipped, adding that instead, they should be guided towards productive futures. Balaam also called on the Uganda Law Society to launch a countrywide campaign to educate the public on legal processes, stressing that “there are several ways to regain freedom, and negotiation is one of them.”
Hon. Balaam drew comparisons to Bobi Wine’s own dealings with the law, noting how he, along with Nubian Lee and others, negotiated their way to freedom after their arrest in Arua. According to Balaam, NUP’s reluctance to hire the best lawyers, opting instead for interns, was another misstep that prolonged the youths’ time behind bars.
But the Minister’s efforts haven’t gone unnoticed. Families of the youths have expressed gratitude, with some even offering him gifts of chicken and goats, which he politely declined. “I don’t want gifts,” he said. “What I want is for these young people to regain their freedom, be rehabilitated, and return to productive lives.”
While some Ugandans have praised Dr. Balaam for securing the freedom of these youths, others, especially within the NUP camp, see the guilty plea as a bitter pill to swallow. They argue it reveals the oppressive nature of the government under President Museveni, with one side claiming justice and the other, dictatorship.
As the dust settles on this controversial issue, one thing is clear: the debate over the future of Uganda’s youth in politics is far from over. As the old proverb goes, “When elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers.” In this case, it’s the young people caught in the crossfire of political battles.
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